Sightseeing

Dolmabahce Palace

Istanbul · Turkey

Dolmabahçe Palace is Istanbul's most opulent landmark, a grandiose 19th-century Ottoman imperial palace on the European shore of the Bosphorus. Built between 1843-1856 by Sultan Abdülmecid I as a westernized alternative to the Topkapi, its 285 rooms and 46 halls showcase a lavish blend of Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. The palace contains the world's largest Bohemian crystal chandelier, a gift from Queen Victoria, and is where Atatürk died in 1938.

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Istanbul · Turkey

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Lodging

The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul

The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul is a landmark tower hotel in Şişli, Istanbul's primary business and upmarket retail district, with spectacular views of the Bosphorus, the old city skyline, and the Princes' Islands from its upper floors. The 244 rooms and suites provide some of the most sweeping panoramic perspectives available in the city, particularly from the club floors and suites on the higher levels. The hotel's Lavinia Wine Bar — with one of the most comprehensive selections of Turkish wine in a hotel — and the Atelier Real Food Kitchen restaurant are important social destinations for Istanbul's business and diplomatic community. The location near Nişantaşı provides ready access to the city's finest fashion boutiques and contemporary galleries.

Istanbul · Turkey

Transport

Kabataş Ferry Terminal Istanbul

Kabataş is a major transit hub on the European Bosphorus shore, serving as both a ferry terminal and the lower terminal of the Kabataş-Taksim funicular railway. Ferry services from Kabataş connect to the Princes' Islands (Adalar) — Istanbul's car-free island retreat accessible in approximately one hour — as well as to various points on the Asian shore including Üsküdar and Kadıköy. The funicular provides a fast two-minute connection from the waterfront up to Taksim Square, making Kabataş the efficient junction between Istanbul's waterborne transport and the city's metro network on the European side.

Istanbul · Turkey

Transport

Taksim Square Metro Station Istanbul

Taksim Square Metro Station is the most important transit hub on Istanbul's European side, connecting the M2 Metro Line running north through the city's modern commercial districts with the historic tram lines and funiculars serving the old Beyoğlu and Galata neighborhoods. The station is located directly beneath Taksim Square — Istanbul's symbolic civic center — and exits within steps of the İstiklal pedestrian avenue, the Atatürk Cultural Center, and the beginning of the Bosphorus shore road through Beşiktaş and Bebek. Most routes into northern Istanbul pass through Taksim, making this the essential interchange for navigating the European side of the city.

Istanbul · Turkey

Sightseeing

Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue

Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue is a local thoroughfare , connecting neighborhoods and facilitating access to community services and attractions. The surroundings reflect the diverse character of the local community, offering a glimpse into everyday life in this part of the region.

Istanbul · Turkey

Lodging

Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul

Çırağan Palace Kempinski is Istanbul's most magnificent hotel, occupying a 19th-century Ottoman palace on the European shore of the Bosphorus between Beşiktaş and Ortaköy. Built for Sultan Abdülaziz and completed in 1867, the palace's white marble exterior and elaborate carved stone terraces extending to the water's edge create an image of imperial grandeur. The hotel's 313 rooms and suites are divided between the restored palace building and a modern tower, and the outdoor pool extending over the Bosphorus is one of the most famous in the world. The Tuğra restaurant and the Laledan terrace bar, both overlooking the strait, are destinations in their own right.

Istanbul · Turkey

Food

Tuğra Restaurant Istanbul

Tuğra is one of Istanbul's most romantic and historically resonant fine dining restaurants, occupying the former banquet hall of the Ottoman imperial household in the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel on the European shore of the Bosphorus. The restaurant's Ottoman-revival interior — with its gilded ceiling panels, inlaid furniture, and views directly onto the Bosphorus — creates an atmosphere that no contemporary hotel restaurant could replicate, and the menu of Ottoman and Turkish cuisine is served in courses that reflect the multi-cultural complexity of the empire's culinary legacy. Dishes drawing on Armenian, Greek, and Central Asian influences alongside Turkish classics make Tuğra a singular expression of Istanbul's food history.

Istanbul · Turkey

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Turkey

Travel guides

Turkey Travel Guide: Ancient Wonders & Modern Charm

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Events

Ramadan Iftar Season

Turkey’s Ramadan Iftar Season centers on iftar, the evening meal that ends the daily Ramadan fast at sunset and the Maghrib call to prayer. Ramadan is a month o

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Events

Istanbul Tulip Festival

The Istanbul Tulip Festival brings a vivid welcome to spring each April, when parks, gardens, and public spaces across the city are planted with tulips. The flo

Date pending official confirmation